Ruth Wilson Drama ‘Mrs. Wilson’ Will Premiere on Masterpiece This March

Based on the true story of Alison Wilson, real-life grandmother of the series’ star Ruth Wilson, the two-part drama tells a tale of intrigue, spycraft, and a longstanding family mystery.

At the outset of World War II, Alison McKelvie took a secretarial job with the Secret Intelligence Service. There, she fell in love with an older man—Major Alexander Wilson, a popular author of spy novels then doing real intelligence work for the war effort. Little did Alison know, but she was entering a plot as tangled as one of the major’s mind-bending fictions.

Because following Alec’s death, Alison discovers that her husband was not exactly what he seemed. A mysterious woman shows up on her doorstep claiming to be Alec’s “real” wife – then, during the funeral, several colleagues offer condolences but mention puzzling aspects of his work and personal life that were heretofore unknown to her.

Alison is determined to prove both the validity of her own marriage and her husband’s love for her, but her investigation leads her into a world of disturbing secrets. (Including the fact that Alec was, apparently, an actual spy, instead of merely an author of spy stories).

Watch the trailer for yourselves below:

Mrs. Wilson aired in the U.K. over Thanksgiving, and will screen over back-to-back Sundays on PBS’ Masterpiece beginning March 31.

Wilson is probably best known in America for her role as Idris Elba’s nemesis Alice Morgan on Luther, and she won a Golden Globe for her performance on Showtime drama The Affair.

"It was daunting playing my own family member, even a bit scary,” Wilson recently told The Guardian. “But because it is a drama we are not judging them. It would actually be more exposing to make a documentary because it would be me, Ruth, and you would have to give answers and perhaps make a call on it.”

Are you looking forward to Mrs. Wilson? Let’s discuss in the comments.

Digital media type by day, Lacy has a fairly useless degree in British medieval literature, and watches entirely too much television in her free time. Ninth Doctor enthusiast and all around Whovian evangelist. Say hi on Twitter at @LacyMB.